Joshua Coon, 16, of Monterey, said he joined the flag rally because he wanted to support fundamental rights of Americans, and described fellow demonstrators as "peaceful and very sincere."

"This country is about all walks of life, all people. We're not discriminating against any individuals or groups, (we're) just standing up for freedom," Coon said.

The rally was one of three demonstrations happening Monday in response to the 2010 Live Oak High U.S.-Mexico patriotism controversy.

At 1:30 p.m., a convoy of Harley Davidson motorcycles with American flags blowing behind them drove through Morgan Hill to the school for a "flag run." And at 5 p.m., a Unity Respect and Peace Rally will happen in Morgan Hill Community Park.

Meanwhile, on campus, Morgan Hill Unified School District Superintendent Steve Betando said Live Oak High students were allowed to wear whatever flag they wanted to class.

Many students, however, opted instead to wear a T-shirt with a green and gold Oak tree drawing on it to participate in "Green and Gold Day."

Students prepared last week for anticipated tension around their school by openly discussing what went wrong on campus in 2010.

Teens created an enormous "unity banner" to hang across their campus' entrance reading, "United at the roots, we are all different branches of the same tree." Students dipped their hands in green and yellow paint buckets (the school's colors) and imprinted hundreds of hands across the banner.

Monday's dress code rules and atmosphere was a big contrast to a 2010 Cinco De Mayo at Live Oak High, when fights broke out between students. Many Latino students thought that wearing American flags on a popular Mexican holiday was intentionally provocative and disrespectful.

Five boys who were wearing clothing adored with American flags were ordered to go home by school administrators. That decision sparked a lawsuit that's still making its way through the courts. In February 2014, a federal appeals court upheld a ruling stating that school officials acted appropriately. Student safety trumps free speech, the judges ruled.

Kendall Jones'son, Daniel, was one of the five students who was sent home 2010 and is part of the lawsuit.

"This has never been an issue of race. It has everything to do with nationality and national pride," Jones said Monday. "You can never discriminate against the American flag. Hundreds of thousands of people have died and shed blood for this flag."

The Gilroy Morgan Hill Patriot Club also disagreed with the appeals court ruling.

"Is there a ban on patriotism on Cinco de Mayo?" club president Georgine Scott-Codiga said. "The flag is an appropriate symbol of freedom 365 days a year."

Over the weekend, a chain-link fence was constructed around the school as one of many preemptive measures to keep protesters off-campus.

"It seems like a symbolic gesture separating the U.S. constitution from the school," Scott-Codiga said.

A group of college students from Gavilan College observed Monday morning's flag rally, including college student Nicholas Doak, 19, who is interested in political science. Doak said he thinks initial actions by the school were wrong, but also admits the fight had spiraled out of control.

"I feel like instead of sending the students home, it should have been a teachable moment for the students and ask them why they felt like wearing the American flags on Cinco de Mayo. Because at the end of the day, I think it should have been less about the First Amendment and more just about respect," Doak said.

Live Oak High School students talk about how they've moved forward from 2010 in the video below. Mobile users click here.

On Sunday the Morgan Hill Police Department wrote a message to the community on its Facebook page, reading, "Morgan Hill is an all inclusive community that celebrates diversity, and Cinco de Mayo is no exception. Both groups conducting demonstrations on Cinco de Mayo--Gilroy-Morgan Hill Patriots and We the People Morgan Hill--have worked cooperatively with law enforcement, the school district, and each other to ensure that the safety of our students, faculty, and community remains intact. They have identified their common values--respect and love for the American flag, constitutional rights to freedom of speech, and the respect and understanding of the American celebration of Cinco de Mayo. The Morgan Hill Unified School District and the Morgan Hill Police Department will have increased staff on duty May 5 to ensure that our community remains safe and our local groups are free to exercise their constitutional rights to free speech."

PHOTOS: Scenes around Live Oak High School Monday

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A fence was constructed around Live Oak High School for this year's Cinco De Mayo to separate students from U.S. flag demonstrators.